Summary: Sonic Unleashed is on the show floor at Tokyo Game Show in a number of places. We got our hands on the title at the SEGA booth where we charged through a colorful, island themed level that has been prominently featured in the trailers. Read Full Article

"I was also able to ask the question that's everyone seems to bring up when playing a Sonic game: why can't the whole experience be comprised of lightening fast running."
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Well really sonic games were only good in 2D. Now that it has been taken, well actually since the Dreamcast took it into 3D, it lost its spark. It looked more linear and with hardly any chanllenge at all. You just go through every stage running. The only decent challenge are the bosses. I think they might want to try to cut down the speed and remake what sonic games are.

i guess ign forgot that the classic sonic games werent just running straight down a path, it was a fast platformer meaning you jumped also lol, and if sega had just stuck with the sonic adventure and sonic adventure 2 formula sonic would still be good, lets hope this one doesnt kill sonic for good

Just because the last game did questionably doesn't mean Sonic deserves the kiss of death. Quite ripping on him already. I for one like the games and like the idea of this game and pray that it can succeed. And I actually like what little I've played of the so-called failure on the PS3. It's hard, but so were the rest of the Sonic games, but the dubs are dreadful... the only thing I don't understand is when the heck did Dr. Robotnik become Eggman? That was stupid and they should change his name back. Sonic's NOT a kindergartner.

Sonic was at his best with Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2. The plots were actually interesting, the gameplay fun and the chao mechanic never got old. I miss those games... We need a Sonic Adventure 3 SEGA!!!

TGS 2008: Hands-On with Sonic Unleashed
The developers talk about the challenges of remaking Sonic.
by David Clayman

October 9, 2008 - Sonic Unleashed is on the show floor at Tokyo Game Show in a number of places. We got our hands on the title at the SEGA booth where we charged through a colorful, island themed level that has been prominently featured in the trailers.

While the level includes plenty of three dimensional elements, it plays more like the old two-dimensional stages than most of the Hedgehog's recent outings. There are plenty of straight-aways and loops that give players a great sense of speed while Sonic's dash attack locks onto enemies and shoots him forward over chasms and roadblocks. At certain points in the level when Sonic is bounced into the air, an action event comes up on screen that gives players the opportunity to blast themselves down a secret detour. We also encountered multiple paths while running through the level, meaning that a perfect playthrough would require a deep knowledge of the racecourse. Just like old times.

The visuals seem to be coming together, with a slight blur effect that adds an extra layer of shine to an already very pretty game. Hopefully the final product will have a smooth frame rate throughout the experience. While we didn't get to play the werehog sections of the game we were able to speak to the developers about what sets this Sonic title apart from others in the series.

Akinori Nishiyama, a Department Manager at Sega Corporation mentioned that Sonic has been the same for so long that the team wanted to break the mold and give the character some new abilities. That's where the werehog abilities came in, but a lot of the other decisions were based on fan response including the decision to keep Sonic's friends out of the picture as playable characters.

I was also able to ask the question that's everyone seems to bring up when playing a Sonic game: why can't the whole experience be comprised of lightening fast running. The answer involves the amount of resources that goes into development.

"Sonic is one meter tall, so a single stage might be 15-20 kilometers. It's really hard for the artist to lay out all the graphics for 10 miles of a stage. In that context though, a single stage might not be pure running, and include a number of elements that smooth out the tempo other than running."

We also asked if there's a desire to return to the good old days of two-dimensional side-scrolling. Nishiyama stated, "We believe that incorporating these 2D elements can work with the new 3D elements to get the best of both worlds." The challenge seems to be in updating the new elements while keeping the gameplay intact. We'll have to play far more of Sonic Unleashed before we know if this version succeeds where others have fallen short.

Akinori Nishiyama, a Department Manager at Sega Corporation mentioned that Sonic has been the same for so long that the team wanted to break the mold and give the character some new abilities. That's where the werehog abilities came in, but a lot of the other decisions were based on fan response including the decision to keep Sonic's friends out of the picture as playable characters.

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Wow. Just wow.

These guys REALLY don't get it.

The reason people hated playing as Sonic's friends was because they didn't have the same fast, traditional platforming gameplay as Sonic. They all had fishing and running from robots and treasure hunting and telekinesis and guns and vehicles- stuff that has nothing to with high speed running and jumping. THATS WHY PEOPLE HATE THEM. BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE SONIC'S GAMEPLAY.

How they could possibily think MOTHER ****ING WEREHOG is a remedy to this problem is beyond me. He's basically just another new character. He's just the same crap they've always been pulling: adding useless playable characters who take up a large chunk of the game, who don't have traditional Sonic gameplay, whose gameplay is halfassed, who AREN'T SONIC. Werehog isn't Sonic. Just because they call it Sonic "in another form" doesn't make it Sonic in gameplay. Sonic is a fast speedy hedgehog who spins and runs and jumps and falls off things. Werehog is a slow, lumbering brute who thinks he's Mr. Fantastic.

I am anxiously praying that this game will be good. It looks good so far, but Sonic Next Gen looked really good as well. Plus, they got ideas from FANS? Uh oh. That's a bad sign. Anyone who is still a fan of Sonic (no offense to them, I personally like the OLDER Sonics as well) is really too naive and immature to give good gaming advice.

i had big hopes for this sonic game since i'm a huge sonic fan, but this looks like its gonna be pretty gay. the werewolf thing is bad enough but why not make other characters playable. how is playing as knuckles or tails a bad thing.

"like everyone said i was really hoping for a great sonic game like sonic adventure 1 and 2, and Sonic360.. "

Um, I too was a big fan of the Sonic Adventure titles, but if you think Sonic 360/PS3 was a great game, you seriously need your head examined. How it even got released with so many bugs and glitches in such an unfinished and broken state is beyond me. If nothing else, at least Unleashed will porbably be at least semi-finished when its released.

I actually hope it's more old school than new school. The first 3 sonic games for genesis and sonic cd were the best games IMO by far! Sonic adventure was good too but I never got the same satisfaction from jumping on guys when sonic had that homing attack jump. It made it too easy. Even if this is mostly new school, at least they still make good old-school sonic games on the DS.

Even if this is mostly new school, at least they still make good old-school sonic games on the DS.
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dude i wouldnt say that on these boards if i were you, these guys have a love hate relationship with the ds and advanced sonic games so get your flame proof suit ready.

nah
high or low score by ign, as long as this game isnt glitch hell like sonic 06 was, it will be a definite pick up for me as i have all the sonic/ nintendo games so....ya.
even if its a speed fest i will probably enjoy it, it will give something to do while i wait out no more heroes 2

After seeing some off screen footage, I have to admit it looks like it could be fun. But still, I hadn't thought about the lack of playable characters like tails. Still worth the rental just to see for myself.

the day of reckoning is coming closer and i feel this game is going to exceed expectations and prove to be great...i still have doubts...but i have a optomistic feeling that this game will be fantastic.

Dear Sega, why you still working only on Sonic series? MegaDrive(Genesis) had some another great games/series too:
Comix Zone
Earthworm Jim
Boogerman
Rock n'Roll Racing
Streets of Rage
Ecco
Shining Force
Lost Vikings

In Web some people do remakes of these games/series. Why you don't want to continue some of thems?

i do think this game should get a nine or an 8.5 too but we do know the people rating the sonic games don't even know how to play em'

i think to rate these games u atleast need to have beaten sonic adventure and sonic adventure 2

cause im nearly positive the people rating them haven't played the sonic games since the 2D era and don't know the mechanics of the game well enough to really judge it

just like a football or wrestling game title, if u haven't played one of the games since 1992 you're gonna be a little lost for a while until u get how to play it

cause i was watching the game play of whoever was playing this game on ign and they sucked lol..they were having troubles jumping and going straight, while when i seen people playing it on other sights the were moving at like 300+ MPH not messing up at all cause it was easy